I called at the Shipley College Resource Centre recently to find out how the Archive Exhibition had been received. Julie Woodward and her staff had sixty vistors this year, compared with forty-two in 2001. They were mainly local to Saltaire, Shipley and surrounding villages but there were also representatives from Japan, Scotland and Wales, as well as other parts of the UK. They tended to stay for quite long periods of time because the exhibition was so varied and interesting. Julie estimates that two hours was probably the average length of stay, but some people stayed the best part of a day and then came back for a second look. Comments left in the visitors' book included "addictive", "fascinating", "unique", and several pressed for a more permanent exhibition of this kind. Comments were unfailingly positive and complimentary.

This has been a successful exhibition, held after a gap of three years. There were similar events in 2001 and 2002 but the Bicentennial event in 2003,  building work in 2004 and the installation of new computers over the summer of 2005 meant that there was not time or space to present it in these years. However, Julie hopes it will be an annual event from now on.

Roger Clarke